Conveyer and rotary drum therefor



: Feb-8, 1938. W.A. FRANK CONVEYER AND ROTARY DRUM THEREFOR Filed Sept.30, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l m w k M I H E. 1 H 5 W m 1 AWO [1 E W N I I 5.m m

m m m. K h WW w HI .H I I I I I I I I m N m Jvm W 9! 1 mm mm 5 f h Q rQw m k w E.

1.9 mm H I ii ii tam w 1 b v F i G k I u l- B ,i N,- in. i ni H u .u Ran. v 2\ I Feb. s, 1938. w. A. FRANK 2,107,890

CONVEYER AND ROTARY DRUM THEREFOR Filed Sept. 30, 1.936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2I ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb.

!UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE My invention relates to a combinationcontinuous conveyer and automatic agitator and dumper andv has for itsobject to provide a continuous conveyer operating within a suitableframe work 8 and enclosure and being provided with a plurality ofespecially constructed rotatable agitator and dumper units, which arearranged at spaced intervals along the length of the conveyer, and whichare adapted to receive and retain charges I of material to be processedwhile being conveyed from one station to another and especially whilethe units are being revolved in one direction, and

to dump or discharge their loads when subjected to rotation in thereverse direction.

15 I accomplish this object by means of arrangement and combination ofparts hereinafter described, set forth in the appended claims andillustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which,

o Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the supmaterials, the framebeing provided with a superstructure II at its uppermost portion andsuitably disposed tanks l2 arrangedin the lower section. A plurality ofstud shafts I 3 are supported 35 in bearings i4 arranged transversely ofthe frame II and each shaft carries one of a pair of spaced sprocketsl5, one set of sprockets being disposed adjacent the bottom of each tankl2. Supported on the sprockets on each side of the device is a 40continuous sprocket chain It. the two chains thus mounted forming acontinuous conveyer movable through the superstructure ll, framestructure II and tanks l2.

A plurality of agitator and dumper units i1 45 are carried at spacedintervals transversely of the conveyer chains it on pins ll, whichproject 4 towards each other and are mounted on the inner sides ofcertain of the chain links, the pins being coaxially aligned wheneverthey occur in thecon- 50 veyer.

Each agitator and dumper unit il comprises a drlnnhaving end plates orheads I! towhich are secured-the. ends of a spiral sheet metalportionilwhichformsthesidesandinnerpartof' ssthedrm'lbesidesllcondstpreferablyofa or discharged its direction, of rotationmust be series of parallel plates angularly disposed with respect toeach other to form a spiral in which the parallel longitudinal endplates overlap to provide an opening 2| into the interior of the drum. I5

The heads is are provided with hearing members to 'receive the chainpins l8 so as to allow the drum to revolve freely about its longitudinalaxis between the chains i6 of the conveyer.

Rotary motion is imparted to each drum i1 10 by means of a sprocket orgear 22 carried by one of the heads l9 and adapted to move intoengagement with a fixed chain or rack 23 mounted in the frame Ill,superstructure Ii, or tanks ii at one or the other side of, the pathtraversed by the conveyer. In the present instance, the chain or rack 23follows the path of the conveyer through the tanks I! so as to cause thedrum to revolve in a counterclockwise direction and the contents to betumbled, mixed or otherwise agitated in any desired bath or atmospherewithin the tanks. Suitable racks 23 may be placed anywhere along theconveyer to cause rotation of the drum in carrying out any desiredprocess. However, when'the drum is to be loaded 25 reversed and this isbrought about in the present embodiment by the chain or rack 23 arrangedin the superstructure I I, the rack 23' being disposed on the oppositeside of the path of travel of the conveyer from that occupied by thechain or rack 23.

In operation, let it be assumed that the conveyer-i8 and its drums l'lare moving from left to right along the upper strand and that a drum hasreceived its charge through the opening 2i. The drum and conveyer turnabout the sprockets II and descend into the first tank IZand in its,downward path of movement the sprocket or gear 21 engages the chain orrack and causes the 40 drum to rotate in a. v counterclockwisedirection, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1,.whereby the contentsare tumbled about but are retained the reverse direction for the purposeof discharging their contents the chain or rack 23* is engaged V by thesprocket or gear 22. In the present case therackaisarrangedinthesuperstructure ll soastocausethedrumtodumpatthispoinh'Inthedrawim'onlythreedrumsareshom.

at it will be understood that any suitable number may be attached to theconveyer.

The chains i6 61 the conveyer traversing the spacesbetween supportingsprockets l5 require guiding means which is in the form of a chanets orgears 22 must be held in mesh with the chains at the turns in itsdirection of travel, a,

frame to support said wheels and to car'ryithe fixed chains or racks 23.

Having described my invention and the manner infwhich the sameoperates,what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i. A conveyer arrangement comprising endless parallel chains, aplurality of'drums rotatably mounted between and carried at spacedintervalsby said chains each drum comprising head plates and side platesarranged at angles to each other to form a spiral in transverse section,the ends of the sides overlapping to form a longitudinal opening so asto permit the contents to remain within the drum when the latter isrotated ,in one direction and to cause the contents to be dischargedthrough the opening. when the drum is rotated in a reverse direction, .apinion attaohed to each drum, astationary rack arranged along apredetermined portion oi. the path traversed by said pinions, said rackbeing positioned on one side of said path to be engaged by said pinions,when they pass said portionfof the path, thereby rotating the pinionsand drums in said first mentioned direction without discharge of thecontents, and a second stationary rack arranged along a subsequentportion of the path of the pinions and being positioned on the oppositeside of said path to beenga'gedby said pinions as they reach suchsubsequent portion 01' the path, whereupon the notation of the drums isreversed for the dischargekofgthe contents.

2. A combination, as claifiiedin claim "1, 'in- -cluding sprocket wheelssup rt chains :at the turns in its i t iirection of travel and a frameto support saidiwh'eelsrand to car y the racks .to' be/ engaged by thepinions ofz the dnlmfi,

3. A combination, as claimed-"in claim 1, including sprocket wheelssupporting; the conveyer fixed racks alongside the path of said pinions,and

' tanks arranged in the frame and adapted to embrace certain-of thesprocket wheels to carry the conveyer into the tanks, said firstmentioned rack being providedalong a portion of the path of the pinionsincluding at least part of the path through said tank and said secondrack being pomtioned along a portion outside oi said tank.

4. A combination, as claimed inclaim 1, in-' ciudins' sprocket wheelssupporting the conveyer chains at the turns in its direction of travel,a frame to support said wheels and to carrythe fixed racks alongside thepath of saidpinions, tanks arranged in the frame and adapted to embracecertain of the sprocket wheels to carry the conveyer into the tanks andguide members oi" said pinion path v in which the conveyer run in theirsubstantially vertical travel into and out of the tanks, said firstmentioned rack being provided along a portion of the path of the pinionsin- ,cluding at least part of the path through said tank and said secondrack being positioned along a portion of the pinion path outside of saidtank;

5. Conveyer arrangement comprising .an endless chain a rotatable drumhaving an opening therein and a spiral wall overlapping said openingwhereby the contents remain within the drum when the latter is rotatedin one direction and are discharged through the opening when the drum isrotated in the reverse direction, said drum being carried on saidconveyer chain free for rotation in both said directions, a circulartoothed member rigidly fixed to said drum coaxial with the axis ofrotation of the latter, a stationary control means arranged along apredetermined portion of the path traversed by said drum and positionedon one side of said path to ,be engaged "by said toothed member when thedrum passes said portion of 1 its path, whereby said toothed member anddrum are rotated in said first mentioned direction without discharge;

of the drum contents, and a second stationary control means arrangedalong a subsequent portion of said drum path on the opposite side thereofin a position to be engaged by said toothed member when the drum hasreached said subsetherein and a spiral wall overlapping said opening,whereby'the contents remain within the drum when the latter is rotatedin one direction and are discharged through the opening when the drum isrotated in the reverse direction, said drum being carried on saidconveyer chain free for rotationin both said directions, a-circulartoothed, member fixed to said drum coaxial with ing the conveyor theaxlsoi rotation of the latter, a tank arranged to enclose part ofv saidconveyer chain, a sta tionary control means arranged along apredetermined portion of the path traversed by said drum including atleast a part of the path T'through thez'tank, said control meansbeingpositioned on. one side of said path to be engaged by said toothedmember, when the drum passes said predetermined portion of its pathwhereby said toothed member and drum are rotated in said first mentioneddirection without discharge of the drum contents, and a secondstationary control means arranged along a subsequent por-' tion of saiddrum path outsidesaid tank, said second means being positioned on theopposite side of said drum path to be engaged by said toothed member,when the drum has reached said which said circular toothed memberconsists of a pinion and said control means comprise racks' arrangedalong subsequent portions and at opposite sides of the path traversed bysaid pinion.

vWILJZIIAIMI A. FRANK.

